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Bill

SB 955

An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in registration of vehicles, providing for mental health registration plate; in fees, further providing for payments to special funds; and establishing the Mental Health Restricted Account.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rosemary Brown and 7 co-sponsors

Pennsylvania creates mental health-themed vehicle registration plates and directs resulting revenue to a dedicated Mental Health Restricted Account for state mental health programs.

Referred to Transportation
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 955

Legislative bill overview

SB 955 creates a specialized vehicle registration plate in Pennsylvania focused on mental health awareness and establishes a dedicated Mental Health Restricted Account to receive revenue from these plates. The bill amends vehicle registration and fee structures to direct a portion of registration fees toward mental health funding through this new account.

Why is this important

Vehicle registration plates with themed messaging can raise awareness and generate dedicated funding streams for specific causes. This bill creates a new revenue mechanism for mental health initiatives, an area often underfunded in state budgets. The dedicated account ensures funds are directed specifically toward mental health programs rather than general revenue.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding clarity: The bill does not specify how much of the registration fee goes to the Mental Health Account versus general transportation funds, making it unclear how much revenue this will actually generate for mental health services.
  • Effectiveness debate: Specialty plates generate modest revenue; whether this alone meaningfully addresses mental health funding needs or represents best use of policy focus is debatable.
  • Administrative overhead: Creating a restricted account adds administrative complexity; critics may argue direct budget appropriations would be more efficient than routing funds through vehicle registration.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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